SxSW Panel Rejected? Here’s a second chance

There are a lot of reasons panels get rejected by SxSW. Some don’t even make it into the panel picker, while others just aren’t ‘pimped out’ hard enough to garner sufficient votes.  Some are really, really fantastic ideas, but miss the mark regarding timing.  Some are just bad (note: if it’s bad, you have no second chance unless you rework it).

Whatever the reason your panel was rejected, here is your second chance to present your talk with your panel on the afternoon of Tuesday March 16, 2010. So submit your panel to us in the comments below (make sure everyone can be there still) and we will, at our sole discretion and judgment, select two (2) or three (3) panels which will receive 30 minutes each to live stream to our global audience from the Social Media Clubhouse beginning around 3pm.

We have this fantastic venue 20 minutes from the convention center, a shuttle bus and a live musical performance we are putting on from Kole Christensen starting at 5pm as part of our KUT Live series.  We also have a daily recap show to produce on Tuesday at 6pm with TechZulu. But we don’t yet have a Summit booked, or a sponsor for it other then Social Media Club, which has a pretty awesome announcement to make this week </teaser>.

So let’s go for it and share some knowledge together. If you get it, we will stream it!

Suggestions

• If it’s a commercial pitch, forget about it, you should have signed up as a sponsor
• If you want more immediate attention, tweet it @socialmediaclub with a link to the panel submission elsewhere online and make sure to use the #SMCH3 hashtag
• We are looking for topics that are interesting to our Social Media Club members from around the world, so if you have a strong case why it would be, present it in the comments (or on your own blog post)
• Don’t contact me personally, please. Especially if you know me personally. I just dont have time to deal with all those extra communications while we are in the midst of producing #SMCH3
• The ‘application’ we choose will be notified by Sunday night so there is time to prepare on MON
• Ummm, well, if you have something to talk about regarding media literacy and how to create more of it, or anything to do with our core missions, that, well, that might get some preferential treatment.

Are you safe online?

We spend an increasing amount of time online – most of us log countless hours on social media outlets alone.  We know our way around the Internet like our own home, so we’re lulled into thinking we’re as safe online. We’re not. Practicing good habits online should be as second nature as locking the door when you leave the house.  Unfortunately, we have a long way to go.

The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) is educating people to be safe online through several awareness programs.  This year marked the 8^th annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (October) and the first campaign directly targeting 17– 25 year olds.  Our firm, Hastings & Pleadwell worked with NCSA to educate this age using the most relevant social media sites – Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and MySpace.

Perhaps the most interesting pieces of this campaign were two web videos produced to educate and entertain.  “Don’t be a Billy” is a spoof on a 1940s etiquette film that shows what not to do online.

“Cybercriminals” takes a much different approach.  The video profiles three seemingly innocent people who made simple mistakes online that caused serious consequences.  While you may never be subject to the harsh interrogation depicted in this web video, if you aren’t updating your security system, using complex passwords and using common sense online, you are at risk.

First things first, use security software and complex passwords.  Update your operating system often and think twice before clicking on any link or giving out too much personal information.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube to get more tips, or visit us online.

Welcome to the Social Media Club House

This week Social Media Club President Kristie Wells and I are here in Paris to cover Le Web 2009 and support the growth of Social Media Club in Europe.  If you aren’t yet familiar, Le Web is the premiere conference for Web entrepreneurs and innovators in France. Loic and Geraldine LeMeur have done a fantastic job putting together an event that transcends national boundaries, bringing in some 2.000 people from all across Europe and all around the world.

We are fortunate to be here for the full week, exploring the true Paris, interviewing European startup and re-connecting with old friends.  We will also be hanging out with Social Media Club members like Pierre Yves Platini, Erho Hannink, Nicole Simon and many many more talking about how we can better connect local chapters all over the world.

I started thinking about coming to Le Web as soon as I arrived at the conference last December. There are so many stimulating conversations.  There are so many people you can’t meet anywhere else all in one place. And best of all, its in one of the greatest cities in the world.

But I didn’t want to just attend, I wanted to do something special.  So when I started talking about Le Web with Dana Oshiro from Read/Write Web back in October, I said “we should host a Social Media Club House during Le Web”. Of course, her reply was the same as you are thinking now. What the heck is that?

Social Media Club House is a way that we can bring members, media makers and friends closer together in a sort of “Real World/MTV” meets Social Media sort of a way.  Only this time, its all about getting along and making media instead of hooking up and fighting each other (though there is perhaps on some occasions an equivalent amount of drinking .

After having lived in a fraternity house in college and a group house on South Beach (Miami) with a business partner and a bunch of fashion models, I personally love the idea of communal living.  Even more so when you look at the mix of people we have in the house.  Yesterday, the Americans arrives with Robert Scoble, Cathy Brooks and Dana Oshiro joining myself and Kristie.  On Tuesday, the unstoppable Stephanie Booth arrives.

While its not an open party house out of respect for the people we are renting the house from, it is quite a special place to call home for the week. Considering our schedule, It hardly seems like we will be in the house very much.  But when we are, we will be writing, sharing stories and live streaming to Justin.tv

Of course, we couldn’t do something this cool all on our own.  We are fortunate to have PayPal and PayPal X as our patrons and sponsors (or perhaps you prefer the word underwriters).  Without their support, this would have just been another unfunded great idea.

Given the nature of this conference, we wanted to do something special.  We wanted to cover the conference and the city in a way we haven’t been able to do yet. This week is your chance to peak behind the curtain, to join a bunch of bloggers and to participate in a way you have never been able to do before.  So join us, be a part of our Social Media Club House and help us make the most of this great opportunity together.

Where Will Video Take You, Where Will You Take Your Video?

The primary goal of Social Media Club’s Reality Check is to get down to the brass tacks of how people are really using different technologies and to uncover unmet needs. In this, our premiere series of Reality Check, we are focused on how people are using video in both their personal and professional lives.

More specifically, we are trying to discover where you take your video beyond your desktop and your living room and thinking about what you would really like to do with video while on the go. We want to discuss your ideas, insights, case studies and deeper needs so that we can all learn from each other, fulfilling one of the most important promises of Social Media Club.

With RealPlayer SP, it is now possible to download any non-copyright protected video from the web and view it on almost any portable device. Personally for me, this means that all those videos, in all those open tabs that get lost everytime my browser crashes, are now easily accessible for me to watch in the spare moments waiting for a meeting, sitting on a plane or taking the Muni down to Citizen Space. We also know that many people use it to take their cooking videos into the kitchen, sales teams are using it to show product demonstrations, and emergency planners are using portable videos to educate field teams.

If you want to get some deeper insights into the conversation that we have had so far, click over to hear some of the conversation from New York City’s Reality Check or check out this video below from the Reality Check at Social Media Club Chicago’s meeting on September 23, 2009. (Hot topic: who should not be on video?!)

There are still several more events to come over the next 4-5 weeks. Join us for a Reality Check in San Francisco on Monday October 19, 2009 (my home chapter) for an incredible event talking about the technology and the creative process around mobile video. In addition to Justin from Justin.tv and Lacy Kemp from RealPlayer SP, we will be joined by Christopher Coppola. For more details and to RSVP, click over to the Eventbrite page or visit the event page on Facebook. Additional upcoming events will be held in Los Angeles on October 20 and Salt Lake City on October 29. In November, we will wrap up the series with Reality Checks in Boston, Philadelphia, and Sydney, Austalia.

So where will you take your video? Where will video take you? What would you just love to be able to do with video while youre on the go? Share your thoughts with us here in the comments and let’s explore stories of what else might be possible together.

To see what is now possible with portable video using RealPlayer SP, take a look at this demo from @realtweeter Lacy Kemp that was filmed in DC as part of the Reality Check series.

Distance Learning Practice: Socially Aware

This article is an interview between Sarah Jones and myself, some of which will be used in an upcoming article about Audio Distance Learning in Mix Magazine. I have cross posted it here as I feel this has value to readers of this blog, you will see that “social learning” is a fundamental methodology I am versed in. I think this spills over into social marketing and/or education based marketing too.

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Ok, first of all, tell me about your background (I’ve been scouring your LinkedIn page-I’m very interested in the evolution of audiocourses.com and Audana, as well as your educational work!), and how you got involved with SAE.

My career has been amazing to date I have an entrepreneurial heart and I’m always looking for the next development, looking forward is one of my strengths, I wouldn’t say I was a visionary but I am very much an early adopter.

In the early 90s, having served in the Royal Navy as a radio/communications aircraft technician (which incidentally gave me the physics background), I began working as a studio engineer and live PA engineer, festivals and what not, and around that time a musician teacher friend of mine asked me if I wanted to teach some sound engineering to a local college. At first I raised an eyebrow, pretty odd concept to me at the time, but agreed anyway, and to cut a very long story short I was soon loving the space, really relishing teaching and in fact over time went on to develop the sound engineering department from a mere part time course offering to a full suite of music technology courses at various levels up to Jazz Degrees, and a total student number of about 500, there was no going back! I then got academically serious, and learnt how to teach, and in fact took a Masters in Open and Distance Education through the Institute of Educational Technology in association with the Open University, this was cutting edge stuff, we were doing social media media back in 99. This Masters was the spring board for me to launch Audiocourses.com the first ever dedicated portal for online sound engineering qualifications, it grew quickly and we modestly qualified people from all over the world. I met so many great people through that period, most of which I have never met physically. I was also lecturing and developing university courses throughout this time, and really did earn my edu colours, through all sorts of committees and projects. In 2007 I was approached by Rudi Grieme, Managing Director of SAE and entered into negotiations, and as they say the rest is history.

I started Audana.com as a Digital Agency in order to service clients such as SAE Institute. We are specialists in elearning, and of course most things digital such as Search Optimisation, Social Media, Newsletters, and also events. Basically a place which offers the experience I have gained through working as a digital specialist since the mid 90s.

What were your main goals in designing the SAEOnLine program?

Essentially SAEOnLine has many programmes with two primary goals in the first instance.

The first being to target the hobby market where we can offer a dynamic flexible learning system for people that are not in a position to be able to attend a college, for a variety of reasons ranging from busy work schedules or geographical constraints. With this market we are gradually building up a very large prospectus of very tightly focused courses, where students are able to “mix and match” the exact techniques they wish to focus on in the fields of audio, games, film, animation, creative media and business. The courses range in level from beginner through to advanced and expert, the key being small tightly packed bite-sized courses.

The second goal is to offer post-graduate solutions in our core products, we already offer a Master of Arts in Creative Media Practice (MACMP) which is a research based Masters which affords students to obtain this high-level qualification whilst staying in their job, we activity encourage students to tailor their programme to their professional practice. Obtaining a Masters is without a doubt a valuable investment as across the board it is a fact that salaries are increased significantly through being qualified with one. I love the concept of our MACMP as for the most part students study independently, though they can also be attached to an SAE Study Centre, like SAE Oxford which is the recent flagship campus boasting 40,000 square foot of space, situated in academia heaven, Oxford is of course renown for its academic excellence!

How do the considerations differ when creating an online curriculum differ vs. designing a more traditional program?

In terms of standards, quality control, academic rigour and student experience, absolutely nothing. All of these things are vital for an online student, there should be just as much forethought to the implementation of these vital aspects. In addition, the curriculum itself should be identical, I mean to say, if the course outcome is to up-skill a student in preparation for a job in film scoring there should be no discernible difference in the outcome be it available on or offline. The difference comes in the applied use of technology, how the student experiences their learning, and how they communicate with their Learning Advisors. Any reputable instructional establishment, be it off or online will create a curriculum which is based on learning outcomes. This means that a student by the end of his/her course will have achieved a certain number of outcomes, how those outcomes are achieved is not of too much significance, and in fact this affords a high-degree of student autonomy and flexibility, student X and Y may navigate the learning material differently but still arrive at the same outcome.

SAE has years of academic partnerships and associated credibility so we put in place a dedicated SAEOnLine Academic Consultative Committee, drawn from high-level academic professionals from various world regions. This ensures we operate with the best possible practices along with attention to academic standards, it’s a personal passion of mine too, delivering high-value educational experiences, I want the students to remember the experience as being life-changing.

Audio engineering has long been evolving over the years from an apprentice-based craft to one requiring formal studies. How does distance learning complement the “hands-on” approach, and what types of courses make the most sense online?

True, which is typical of many young subject disciplines, for example audio engineering is a very young field when we compare it to say languages, the art or mathematics, so it is constantly evolving as an educational subject within faculties around the world. In addition, as audio engineering is predominantly technology based the skill-set simply does not stand still due to the ever advancing nature of technology. Ten years ago colleges were still teaching students how to splice analogue tape, now we see that skill is a pretty rare commodity, who would have known we would now be working with digital equipment looking to emulate analogue colouration and making music on our phones collaboratively?

The old method of “school of hard knocks” is dead, as many engineers come to us late or mid career looking to fill the holes they have in their theoretical knowledge. Let’s be blunt about this, “audio engineering” is, well, an engineering subject, which is maths, physics, acoustics. When we broaden the definition into areas such as musical performance capture there are elements that come into play which involve such disciplines as psychology. If we broaden further and look at the business aspects nobody would seriously try to run a business these days without having a studious approach to it. Therefore, the notion that engineers simply grow up making tea and advance from there is simply not true, that reputation damages and in facts limits career possibilities. It’s all very well being able to balance the faders and tweak the compressor but you also need to know how a DAC works, what over-samping is, and understand the Sabine formula for reverb time, if you are running a team you need to know how to manage, control budgets, organise projects. It is through understanding the fundamental theories that more creativity is exposed, deeper understanding of possibilities, not just sonic ones but also career opportunities too. I’ve known many a wannabe record producer get into maths and acoustics to go on to running flourishing acoustics businesses.

But it’s not just the engineering subjects that can be taught online, as we all know a considerable amount of producers use their own DAW these days rammed full of plug-ins, in fact it is the normal. These types of concepts and work-flows are very much suited to online learning, it’s all about the workstation and software. I wouldn’t want the reader to think that music is just software, as it clearly is not, but much of it is created with a mouse. I know producers who take their own DAW rigs with them from venue to venue, talk about the mobility of the recording industry, where as it was once a portable mic box now it is a full blown DAW rig in the back of the car, or sometimes a laptop!

What has not changed is the need for a great sounding room, and whilst we can’t offer that directly online, we can of course provide samples of good sounding rooms and impulse responses of them, and understanding the theory of it is half the battle. Of course SAE Institute can also offer 50 campuses in 21 countries around the world should a student want to come and experience the “bells and whistles” in the flesh so to speak. By the way SAE Oxford (http://oxford.sae.edu), which is SAEOnLine’s H.Q. and also where the Tonmeister Masters course is run, has some sublime sounding rooms. They have this Steinway grand in one of the rooms and I melt every time I play some tunes on that one I tell you, It’s a proper royal grand scale sonic experience!

What can students gain from online classes that they can’t get in regular classes? Obviously, access and convenience are key, especially when it comes to busy working adults or students outside recording centers. What are some other key benefits? For example, teachers have told me that students are on a more level playing field, as far as participation goes. On the other hand, which benefits inherent in traditional face-to-face learning environments are difficult to replicate in online courses?

This question is a good question to ask, and I’ll tell you a story to help reinforce the argument. Back in the 90s I used to teach a particular sound engineering course, one day a week part time, to adult students from various disparate backgrounds. These students had access to a Fostex G24 track analogue tape machine, an Allen & Heath desk, three live rooms of considerable size, huge rack of outboard equipment and enough microphones to fill a chest, they had all the resources they could have imagined. The course was all about preparing for an exam at the end of the year, so we would set up practical situations with complex monitor mixes, various odd instruments to record, badly tuned drums, singers that needed multiple takes, proper real-world difficulties to overcome. Whilst the practical sessions were always reasonably lively there was always the problem that students didn’t fully understand why something was happening, the theory was missing, they couldn’t explain what they we doing, they didn’t understand comb filtering for example. This particular course used to achieve around a 60% pass rate only at best! I took this course syllabus and ported it to be an online course, and created an environment that connected multiple students around the world into the same collaborative space. We balanced theoretical activities with practical activities and you know what, I ran that course for 4 years with a 100% pass rate!

So what is different with online then? I think a few things come in to play here:

1. Generally students who opt for online are usually more determined and decided on studying, it is not something they simply fall into. This has big implications for motivation.
2. Studying online by its nature means students are and must be proactive and actively seek out their study path. Offline students can be very guilty of simply expecting to sit in a lecture hall and be lectured to, which let’s be honest is a pretty uninspiring way to learn, and proven to be not so effective.
3. In terms of participation the online Learning Advisors are much like guides, guiding the student through their material, there is actually far more communication between student and learner than offline, not less. This dialogue is also often open with the group, so yes, there is more of a level playing field, students are at the center of their learning NOT the teachers. Because you have the group work, tasks, activities, forums quizzes, lessons etc, all in one learning portal it is efficient and easy for a student to compare and explore all activity, this is virtually impossible with an offline model.
4. With offline courses a lot of the learning can take place in the corridors near the water cooler, in the bar, it is the social interaction with peers that really can help cement new knowledge and concepts into the student. This is where face-to-face courses pay big dividends (if social spaces are encouraged), but it is also what MUST be considered with online learning, these aspects must be replicated in some way to avoid feelings of student isolation. At SAEOnLine this is a fundamental part of the system, SAEOnLine wants students to chill-out and relax virtually together as well as engage with their studies.

How have advances in technology contributed to the evolution of distance learning?

Technology has changed distance learning significantly, if we think of different generations of distance learning technology, from print through to TV, telephone and then in more recent years networked computers we can see that the model has shifted from one of broadcasting, or rather one-way to two-way, or multi-directional, especially if we consider that all participants in a group can interact on various levels both synchronously and asynchronously. This is a monumental shift from the original models of distance learning where books were sent to people living in the most remote places.

What would you say are the biggest challenges teachers face in an online learning environment?

Traditional teachers, and when I say traditional I mean face-to-face teachers with little online course development or moderation experience, can find the transition to a full online mode pretty tough. You have to remember that online instruction is very much about creating compelling virtual experiences which afford high degrees of student engagement, you have to be tech savvy and a skilled communication moderator, you have to get the students engaging with each other. In the virtual world there is generally very little opportunity to use body language, gesticulation or even facial expression, sure you can have a talking head or a video of a lecture, but it’s not always a strong emotive connection. Body language can be a significant part of a traditional teachers tool-box therefore online instructors have to develop alternative skills which facilitate student participation.

What should potential students look for when choosing a distance learning program?

Top tip: Do not get fooled by the glossy marketing.

You know this is a very good question because just the term “distance learning” can be misused and applied to very poor products wrapped up in pretty packaging. One of the problems I have witnessed is that some second rate providers simply upload materials and make them available online, such as text and the odd video, essentially just a collection of resources, and this does NOT constitute distance learning, in the true sense of the term. In fact it is an utter myth that online or distance learning is simply a bunch of resources made available online, it is not. What is essential is carefully crafted pedagogical systems where a relationship forms between the student and her peers and Learning Advisor. If potential students find that the courses are without appropriate advisor moderation and guidance my advice is to stay well clear of them, as you will not be getting an valuable educational “experience”. It is in the interaction or “social learning” where the real learning takes place, come and try SAEOnLine and you’ll experience that.

Is there anything I haven’t mentioned that you’d like to add?

No, thanks for the interview, that was enjoyable.

SMCEDU: The First Steps

After a week of introductions, let’s see how we can get the next step of our project underway:

We want to teach people about social media technology, but let’s not forget the “social” component. Although the tools we use to communicate are varied and great, nothing beats personal interaction. To that end, I’m hoping to start small and locally by meeting members of both the Social Media Club and social media educators.

After Chris posted a question about where to start, we received a few great suggestions. As I’m based in Northern Virginia, I contacted local chapters of Social Media Club in the Washington, D.C., and Richmond, VA, areas. There is already a SMCEDU rapport established between Social Media Club DC and George Washington University (based in D.C.)…this seems like a natural place to start. As more develops, I’ll post reports and ask for feedback/suggestions on how we can establish similar relationships between SMC chapters and their local universities.

Another important focal point of our project is the cumulation of current social media curriculum.

As teachers continue to add their information to the directory, the community of social media educators becomes closer. Thanks to Alex de Carvalho, Corinne Weisgerber, Bill Handy, Gaetan Giannini, and Pierre Edelman for contributing so far. I’ve taken the liberty of adding your resources to the SMCEDU wiki under “Social Media Curriculum”. This is a temporary holding for social media resources, and for now serves as a central location to review what teachers are currently offering in their classrooms. If there’s anything you’d like to add, it will help tremendously!

As an aside, I began thinking about the difference between social media and social networking. Perhaps the term “social media” can be used interchangeably to describe either the content created and shared by users, or the medium by which they communicate. To me, the definition of “social networking” is more specific: it is the activity of creating or participating in groups that share information/resources. This can be achieved by using technology to reach anyone with access to the same technology, or it can be more immediate in that you’re working with people face-to-face.

I bring up the two terms because they are both a big part of what we’re doing: we’re of course connecting (i.e., networking), but also sharing written material, video, and audio…in other words, media.

By opening up a dialogue and collecting a consensus on ideas such as this from those actively participating in SMCEDU, I hope it will standardize what social media education means to everyone.

As always, any questions/thoughts/hints/comments/concerns/suggestions are welcome!

#SMCQ19 Paying social media forward

As SMC moves forward with our education initiative, we’re thinking hard on how to teach, share and encourage media literacy. It’s hard to imagine now, the more immersed we become in social networking, but thinking about  newcomers, as well as the next generation of social media users, it’s clear there’s both a large knowledge base and a lot to learn. What about social media would be best to take with us and what can we leave behind? This week’s question of the week looks at how to pay the best of Social Media forward.

#SMCQ19 What are the best qualities of social media you want to insure never get lost as both the media form and media user evolves?

How to join the Social Media Clubs Question of the Week discussion: Our goal with the Question of the Week initiative is to create a truly collaborative conversation within and around the most up-to-the-minute issues affecting Social Media. Each week, the Social Media Club editorial board looks at trends, topics and news affecting social media during a Blogtalk Radio broadcast. During the call, the editorial board forms the question. This is where YOU come in: we’d love for you to post your thoughts on your blog, via Twitter or by commenting on the Social Media Club site. Please tag your blogs and posts with a hash tag, ‘#’, so we can track the conversation. For example, if you wrote a response to Social Media Club Question of the Week 13, please tag your post ‘#SMCQ13’ and we’ll be able to find it, track back, and link the post to the original post. Your answers will all be included in the weekly Conversation post & Blogtalk Radio broadcast review of the answers we received. We also invite you to call in to the shows to share your viewpoint. Instructions about how to call in will be given on this site by the end of each week. Thanks for joining the club!

Be our first TJ! Enter to win pass to Twiistup

When I was looking at the idea of doing a contest for giving away the free pass to Twiistup this Thursday and Friday July 30-31, 2009 in Los Angeles, CA I was really inspired by what the Rubicon Project did in creating a ’scholarship’ program.  They did something much more meaningful then a viral contest giveaway which created a win-win-win for Rubicon Project, Twiistup and the scholarship winners. While we don’t have as much time (or money) to pull this off since this is a last minute thing, I think we have an interesting and meaningful idea for you.

So here’s the deal, if you want a free pass to go to Twiistup this week, you can apply to be the TJ (that’s Twitter Jockey) for the @socialmediaclub account during the conference portions of the event.  What that means is that you will be running the live Twitter account for @socialmediaclub keeping our 54,000 followers up to date on what is happening at Twiistup. So you will get a chance to introduce yourself and if you do a good job, perhaps get some new followers – but of course we have a no-spam rule and expect basic journalistic standards to be applied.

In order to apply simply tweet @socialmediaclub with the most compelling and creative reason about why you should be chosen to be our TJ during Twiistup.

The winner will be chosen solely at my discretion based on all entries submitted to us by Wednesday July 29, 2009 at 1pm PST.  You can enter twice, but don’t go overboard with it – no one likes Twitter Spam. To be clear, this is only for the conference pass, the winner will need to be in LA area or be able to travel there at their own expense.  That said, the TJ will be hanging at some cool parties, meeting some fantastic people and learning some valuable insights about emerging technology companies.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone in LA later this week!

#SMCQ18 Social Media Change Makers

Who is most influential (and how to tell) is always a hot topic among those keeping track of the social media landscape. But who of those influential folks are using their solid, highly connected platform for the betterment of other lives is another topic altogether. This weeks addresses the change makers:

#SMCQ18 Who do you think is best using their social media influence to affect change for the benefit of others? What can we learn from these examples?

We look forward to your comments.

How to join the Social Media Clubs Question of the Week discussion: Our goal with the Question of the Week initiative is to create a truly collaborative conversation within and around the most up-to-the-minute issues affecting Social Media. Each week, the Social Media Club editorial board looks at trends, topics and news affecting social media during a Blogtalk Radio broadcast. During the call, the editorial board forms the question. This is where YOU come in: we’d love for you to post your thoughts on your blog, via Twitter or by commenting on the Social Media Club site. Please tag your blogs and posts with a hash tag, ‘#’, so we can track the conversation. For example, if you wrote a response to Social Media Club Question of the Week 13, please tag your post ‘#SMCQ13’ and we’ll be able to find it, track back, and link the post to the original post. Your answers will all be included in the weekly Conversation post & Blogtalk Radio broadcast review of the answers we received. We also invite you to call in to the shows to share your viewpoint. Instructions about how to call in will be given on this site by the end of each week. Thanks for joining the club!

#SMCQ17 Avoiding misteps in social media

SMCQ17 Doing Social Media differently

Is Social Media doomed to make the mistakes of traditional broadcast media, favoring popularity over quality and providing a platform for relatively few points of view? So wondered The Social Media Social Media Club Chris Heuer, Dave Peck and Deborah Crooks on Friday as they discussed how to keep Social Media as revolutionary as it already is. How can we ensure we stay open, flexible and willing hear new insights? What action would need to be taken to keep Social Media diverse and inclusive? We’d love to hear how you’re doing media differently in your social media reading and interacting.

#SMCQ17 What will keep Social Media from falling into the same traps as traditional broadcast media?

How to join the Social Media Clubs Question of the Week discussion: Our goal with the Question of the Week initiative is to create a truly collaborative conversation within and around the most up-to-the-minute issues affecting Social Media. Each week, the Social Media Club editorial board looks at trends, topics and news affecting social media during a Blogtalk Radio broadcast. During the call, the editorial board forms the question. This is where YOU come in: we’d love for you to post your thoughts on your blog, via Twitter or by commenting on the Social Media Club site. Please tag your blogs and posts with a hash tag, ‘#’, so we can track the conversation. For example, if you wrote a response to Social Media Club Question of the Week 13, please tag your post ‘#SMCQ13’ and we’ll be able to find it, track back, and link the post to the original post. Your answers will all be included in the weekly Conversation post & Blogtalk Radio broadcast review of the answers we received. We also invite you to call in to the shows to share your viewpoint. Instructions about how to call in will be given on this site by the end of each week. Thanks for joining the club!

#SMCQ16 How do you measure influence?

Because influence, perceived or real, is affecting so much of how we interact and conduct business today, the Social Media Editorial Board decided to roll over last week’s question of the week into this one. We’d love to hear your thoughts about how you quantify and rank influential bloggers and platforms:

#SMCQ16 How do you measure social media influencers and/or influential online communities?

We welcome your input. Please tag your comments, tweets and posts #SMCQ16. We’ll be continuing the discussion later in the week on Blogtalk Radio. Tune in!

How to join the Social Media Clubs Question of the Week discussion: Our goal with the Question of the Week initiative is to create a truly collaborative conversation within and around the most up-to-the-minute issues affecting Social Media. Each week, the Social Media Club editorial board looks at trends, topics and news affecting social media during a Blogtalk Radio broadcast. During the call, the editorial board forms the question. This is where YOU come in: we’d love for you to post your thoughts on your blog, via Twitter or by commenting on the Social Media Club site. Please tag your blogs and posts with a hash tag, ‘#’, so we can track the conversation. For example, if you wrote a response to Social Media Club Question of the Week 13, please tag your post ‘#SMCQ13’ and we’ll be able to find it, track back, and link the post to the original post. Your answers will all be included in the weekly Conversation post & Blogtalk Radio broadcast review of the answers we received. We also invite you to call in to the shows to share your viewpoint. Instructions about how to call in will be given on this site by the end of each week. Thanks for joining the club!

#SMCQ16 On Measuring Influence

Earlier this week, the SMC Editorial Board posed the question “How do you measure influencers and/or influential social media platforms?” having wondered aloud which combination of measurement and know-how equaled influence. As the community response demonstrated, influence is equal parts quantitative and qualitative. From ‘listening platforms’ such as Radian6, eCairn and ScoutLabs which track and calculate conversation volume, page rank, comments and frequency as well as a host of other data garnered from Sales Force and CRM tools, to  good old intuition, influence is subject to the eye of the beholder. Some notes from the online response field:

“I look for the number of followers and the number of participants who add comments. Equally important is the quality of the content and the comments. They should be well-written, intelligent, supported by references to sources, focus on the positive, succinct, and not reflect a strongly biased opinion.” — James O’Connor, Owner, Clutter Control, O’Connor Communications,

“So effective, efficient messages are key.  Regularly is another.  Transparent, non-promotional communications essential.  Self-effacing humor is nice.  But the most important aspect is just to be a part of the conversation and thought stream.  One person with one comment at the exact right moment in time who we never hear from again can be a profound influencer.” —How Do You Measure Influencers,” by Bob Stewart,

@the_sophist: #SMCQ16 The act of measuriing influence, influences. Especially in the state of social consciousness. u can’t measure u can only approximate

Suggested Reading:

“How to Measure Influence Online,” Mashable, by Micah Baldwin, March 2, 2009

“Do You Know Jack About Social Media Measurement,” MetricsMan, June 15, 2009

“Is PageRank the Ultimate Measure of Online Influence?” Nine By Blue, October 8, 2008

“Social Media Metrics Superlist,” Interactive Insights Group,  by Robin Broitman, February 2nd, 2009

The SMC Editorial Board will be reviewing the responses and talking more about measuring influence, this Friday 10am PST on BlogTalk Radio Social Media Club. We welcome your participation.

#SMCQ15 On truth-finding

This week’s SMCQ15: How do you know who to trust within the social media environment? was especially pertinent given the dramatic impact Social Media had amidst the election and protests in Iran.  The online conversation and direct responses we received pointed out the need for self responsibility and incorporating a journalistic standard for fact checking.

Have thoughts to share on the subject? Please tune into BlogTalkRadio this Friday, June 26 @ 10am PST as the Social Media Club Editorial Board reviews the conversation. We welcome your input.

Some notes from the online conversation:

“Is Twitter The CNN Of The New Media Generation?,” by Brian Solis, TechCrunch,  June 17, 2009

“Fact checking is a vital part of the news business and is ultimately what separates amateurs from experts. But researching fact from hearsay or even opinion is almost impossible on Twitter for most users. Keen believed that citizen media is corrupting the very institution of news media because most of the individuals publishing information using social tools, he argues in his book, are “grossly misinformed.” While Morris didn’t make the sweeping assertion that Keen expressed, his point is noteworthy and deserves further examination”

“How Not To Be A Social Media Sucker (aka who to trust online),” by Kimberly Turner, Regator, June 25, 2009

“You can guarantee fast or you can guarantee accurate, but you can’t guarantee both. We want things instantly. If a plane landed in the Hudson 30 seconds ago, we want details NOW. Fair enough. But remember, the faster you get your news, the less likely it is to have undergone a fact-checking process. Monthly magazines, for example, often have teams of fact-checkers who verify everything from the spellings of names to the color of a source’s hair if it’s mentioned. This is because monthly publications work several weeks out. There is time for due diligence.”

Iran + Twitter = Trust, But Don’t Verify, by Farel Chideya, The Huffington Post

“So, how do you verify? Well… some people say, just… don’t. It’s a cul-de-sac you can go around again and again. I am not saying don’t follow Twitter (again, that would be useless). I do want to follow Twitter, on #IranElections and all else. What I don’t want to do is give up the idea of verifying information.”

“How Do You Know What Tweets are True? Exactly the Same Way You Source Everything Else” by Sarah Delman, Corporate Memo

“Social media isn’t some separate sphere: it’s similar, in fact, to all other source building. If you don’t know who to trust, online or off, then you’re not doing your job. It’s what reporters do: they figure out who to trust before they need to. You should have built social media sources beforehand in exactly the same way you build offline sources.”

“Twitter and Social Media in Iran,” By Anthony Caruana, Hydrapinion, June 24, 2009

“solely relying on Twitter where particularly poignant or inflammatory Tweets are heavily retweeted doesn’t equate with accuracy.”

Highlights from The Twitter Stream:

@rustytanton There’s nothing in the question to imply that mainstream media or what you hear on the street is superior in any way 

@dwiggins: How different from other sources? Same question. Most folks think answers found on Google correct! Info literacy a core need here.

@znmeb posted twice on the question: I don’t think “social media” are any different regarding trust than any other communication channel”
and, noting need for self responsibility, @znmeb: #SMCQ15 fool me once, shame on you … fool me twice, shame on me

@ baurecom: nowadays you can’t really trust anybody. You have to thoroughly check the validity of the source b4 you broadcast it.

Further Reading

Twitter on the Barricades: Six Lessons Learned, by Naomi Cohen, New York Times, June 20, 2009

“Crisis Communications Online: Social Media Usage during a Crisis with Leysia Palen,” by Eric Schwartzman, On the Record, June 4, 2009

“Thumbs To The News: Public Turns To Twitter,” by Wendy Kaufman, NPR, April 20, 2009

“Finding Truth on the Internet,” Wired, by Louise Witt, September 4, 2004

Have thoughts to share on the subject? Please tune into BlogTalkRadio this Friday, June 26 @ 10am PST as the Social Media Club Editorial Board reviews the conversation. We welcome your input.

Social Media Camp #IWNY Wrap-Up

Social Media Club’s Social Media Camp was a great success thanks to the over 120 people who participated! Social media Camp was held in the Roger Smith hotel last Thursday, June 4 2009 during Internet Week New York. The camp had over two dozen sessions throughout an eight hour day, with well known social media professionals, small business folks, professionals and corporate communications teams learning from and teaching each other. There has been some great feedback from those who attended and a good amount of sharing from the people at the camp too.

Some of the comments on Twitter

• VegasBill @pepsico The info packed sessions @ #smcamp 4 #iwny look amazing. @ChrisHeuer is a dynamic social media role model. Have a great time:)
• stevecherches RT @MellieBe: Check out our top social media marketing tips from Social Media Camp#smcamp http://tinyurl.com/l7dqm3 (Great post)
• deanmeistr @danzarella bummed I couldn’t do graphic recording of your talk at #smcamp - I dig the concepts/content of your talk–maybe next time!
• LesBlatt Smart idea seen at #smcamp yesterday: some attendees put their Twitter names on their conf name badges. Made it easy to follow them.
• chttrbx99 please retweet – Thanks to @howardgr & @chrisheuer for a great day at #smcamp NYC yesterday some great conversations
• SocialSteve @chrisheurer and @howardgr did a great job on #smcamp (Social Media Camp) at #iwny. Check them out at socialmeadiacamp.org
• Amver @chrisheuer Not only did I find #smcamp valuable I would love to join SMC. Hopefully our paths will cross again.
• SocialSteve Last week’s participation in #smcamp (Social Media Camp) and #iwny (Internet Week NY) has spawned tons of activity.
• craige @chrisheuer et al: Thanks for a fabulous event! I feel so inspired after attending #smcamp.

Differing slightly from a typical BarCamp, Social Media Camp not only offered open space for participants to create their day together, but also a “Social Media 101″ series planned out in advance to allow for those who are new to Social Media to learn some of the basics. These sessions were all streamed live and are available as an on demand episode from Livestream, a partner for Social Media Camp. This 5 session series was lead by Howard Greenstein and myself, Chris Heuer.  The links below take you to the blog post about each session, along with the SlideShare presentations used during each session.

1. What is Social Media Session
   
2. Creating a Digital Identity
3. Social Media Tools, Services and Networks Session 
4. Using Social Media for Job Searches Session
5. Marketing Through Social Media Session

Dean Meyers did some great visual notes, capturing the concepts and resources from the Social Media 101 Sessions. It was a lot of fun. More importantly, it seems we help many and created more questions in a few, so overall a success, but definitely just the beginning of the conversation and the process of learning how to use social media. The complete schedule for the day from the Open Space sessions is available on the blog.

 

Some of the other topics that were discussed were power of suggestion on Twitter, basics of strategy in social media marketing for businesses, social media tools, measurability, and marketing through social media. One session in particular struck a lot of conversation. Social Media Marketing triggered thoughts upon building relationships with the market, the importance of trust in marketing/branding and how companies are using social media to market their businesses products and services. 

“Companies in general don’t value social media marketing as much as they should. They’re afraid of it; they don’t understand it; and therefore, they just don’t do it. Yet it’s the most cost-efficient way of marketing there is.” – Ayelet Noff, Blonde 2.0.

Many different tools and tactics were taught, then they were put into play. One of the most compelling part of the sessions was the group involvement and peer to peer knowledge exchange. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and were not scared to interact with one another. Among the ideas and information exchanged, relationships were built.

“I just love social media and Web 2.0…. I really want to thank the Social Media Club folks for having such a great event: Howard Greenstein, Chris Heuer and Kristie Wells…. The last session was really interesting. The topic was retweets on Twitter. Dan Zarrella from Hubspot crunched some numbers that gave a bit of insight on how people are behaving on Twitter.” – Regina, Volunteer at SMCamp

Well, we love doing it too, and Howard and Kristie and I are blessed to be able to do this sort of work and so happy to help people.

Other blog posts and photos from the event are below, please share yours in the comments:

• PepsiCo Blog
• expatJane’s Blog (Volunteer)
• Les Blatt’s Rambles
• SMC New Haven Blog Post
• DMDInsight
• ReadWriteWeb

Social Media Camp Photos:

• SMCamp room kickoff
• Social Voice from Livewworld
• Flickr from Courtney Crosslin
• Flickr from Howard Greenstein
• Flickr from Chris Heuer

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